Briton to face 'air rage' trial

12:00AM BST 22 Aug 2002

A 57-year-old British man accused of a drunken attack on air stewardesses on a Manchester-Florida flight has been indicted by a US federal grand jury.

Victor William Mardell, from north London has been charged with interference with a flight crew, which carries a maximum 20-year sentence and a £163,000 fine. Mardell has been released on bail by a Florida court on condition that he stays at a halfway house where he will be treated for substance abuse until his trial.

His lawyer, Fritz Scheller, has said he plans to plead not guilty. The economy class passenger was arrested on Friday on board the Air 2000 flight from Manchester after it landed in Sanford, Florida. He was on his way to central Florida for his son's wedding.

Cabin crew twice had to confiscate bottles of Jameson whiskey from Mardell, according to the arrest affidavit.

It also alleges that he tried to open the plane's door while in flight, was verbally abusive to a boy sitting next to him, threatened to kill a passenger, pushed a flight attendant against a toilet door and twice had to be restrained by other passengers.